Game bat with swing-responsive sounding means



-J. GREEN 3, 7 88 GAME BAT wrrn SWING-RESPONSIVE souunmc; MEANS March 16, 1965 Filed Dec. 14, 1962 n MR wN E um em 3 United States Patent 3,173,683 GAME BAT WITH SWlNG-RESPQNSIVE SQUNDING MEANS Joseph Green, 54 Prospect Ave, Hewlett, N.Y. Filed Dec. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 244,743 4 Claims. ((31. 273-42) This invention relates to a bat for use in various sports and is particularly adaptable for use in baseball and softball games or for use as a novelty item independently of its use in a particular organized game of baseball or softball.

Heretofore, known bats have generally been made from solid pieces of wood such that when a ball is hit with the bat, an audible sharp sudden sound is produced by the impact between the bat and the ball. This sound is often referred to as the crack of the bat and for the purposes of this description this term will be used to designate such a sound although it is to be understood that it does not imply that the bat physically breaks or splits. Generally, when a ball is hit solidly by a bat the crack of the bat is louder and sharper than when the ball is hit lightly such as when the ball is merely tipped, so that solid and good hits are generally identified with the degree of audibility of the crack of the bat as the ball is hit.

In the present invention a bat is provided which is able to produce a sharp and sudden sound which simulates the same sound produced by the impact between a bat and ball. This simulated sound may be produced independently of the contact between the bat and ball and it may also be made to occur at the time such sound might be expected to be heard if the bat were actually being swung at a ball. The bat of the present invention would therefore be appealing, to youngsters for example, in that the swing of the bat makes it appear, whether it is the actual fact or not, that the ball is being hit solidly because of the sharp crack produced by the bat.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bat which produces a sharp and sudden sound as it is swung, such sound being independent of the contact between the bat and a ball at which the bat is swung.

Another object is to provide a bat which produces a sharp and sudden sound as it is swung, such sound simu lating the sound produced by the impact between a bat and ball.

A further object is to provide a bat which produces a sharp and sudden sound as it is swung, such sound occurring during the swing of the bat at the time which an actual crack resulting from the impact between the bat and a ball, at which the bat is swung, might be expected to be heard.

Another object is to provide a bat which utilizes centrifugal force to produce a sharp and sudden sound as it is swung, such sound simulating the sound produced by the impact between a bat and ball.

Gther objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a bat constructed according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view similar to FIG. 2 but only partly in section and showing the end piece of the bat extending beyond the main body thereof.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation showing the bat being swung by a youngster.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the bat of the present invention, which is shown as having an outward appearance resembling a conventional baseball bat, comprises a main body it) narrowing down in diameter at one end to define a handle 12. An extension or end piece 14, forming a continuation of the larger end of the main body 10, is mounted on the end of the main body 10 such that the end piece 14 may be moved relative to the main body 10.

As can be seen in FIG. 2 the interior of the main body it) is provided with a cavity 16 which may be formed by making the main body generally hollow. The cavity 16 receives a rod 18 and a biasing means, such as the coil spring 20, the latter serving to urge the rod 18 towards the handle end of the bat. One end of the spring 20 is suitably connected to rod 13, such as by passing the end of the spring 20 through a transverse opening in the end of the rod 18, while the other end of the spring 20 is suitably connected to the handle end of the bat such as by passing the opposite end of the spring 20 through an opening in a projection 22 extending from the end face 24 of the bat into the cavity 16.

The rod 18 is mounted for sliding movement relative to the main body ill and to this end there is provided guide means, such as the member 26, at the end of the cavity 16 of the main body It). The guide member 26 which serves to guide the rod 13 as it slides in and out of the cavity 16 is suitably secured, such as by the use of adhesive, within the end of the cavity 16 and is provided with a generally central passageway 28 for slidably receiving the rod 18. The end of the rod 18 is designed to carry the end piece 14, previously mentioned, such that as the rod 18 slides relative to the main body 10, the end piece 14 will move away and toward the large diameter end of the main body 10.

The outward appearance of the end piece 14 is such thatt it resembles a continuation of the main body 10 when the two are in abutting relationship as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Internally, however, the end piece 14 may be provided with a cavity 29 and made hollow to accommodate a weighted member 30. The weighted member 39 is suitably secured, such as by an adhesive, within the cavity 2% and is connected to the end of the rod 18 such that the rod 18 and end piece 14, including the weighted member 39, will be able to move as a unit relative to the main body 10.

From the above description it can be seen, therefore, that as the bat is swung in the conventional manner, a centrifugal force will be imparted to the weighted member 3t? such that this centifugal force will overcome the bias of spring 20 and cause the end piece 14 to move away from the end of the main body 19 to a position such as that shown in FIG. 3. As the motion of the swing of the bat is completed or otherwise retarded or stopped, the centrifugal force acting on the weighted member 30 will be reduced such that the end piece 14 and its weighted member will be returned to its initial abutting position by the bias of spring 2% As the end piece l4 and weighted member 31! are so returned under the force of spring 20, the end face of the Weighted member 30 will ,5 slam against the end face of guide member 26 to produce a sharp and sudden sound simulating the crack of a bat. It can be seen, therefore, that as the bat is swung it will produce a sharp and sudden sound independently of Whether the bat actually hits a ball or not. Also' it will be noted that the sharp and sudden sound will occur at the point where the motion of the swing is slowed down so that the precise moment when the crack of the bat occurs may be controlled. Thus the swing maybe controlled by reducing the speed of the swing at the point where it might be expected that the impact with a ball would occur. Also if the bat actually hits a ball, the impact between the bat and the ball would tend to reduce the speed of the swing to cause the bat to crack at the time when the ball is hit.

Although the main body lti'is shown and described as being hollow, it is to be understood that, alternatively, the main body may be made solid and provided with a passageway for receiving the rod 18 and spring 26. In such a case the end of the spring 26 may be secured to the end face 24 of the bat merely by making such end face 24 as a disc readily removable from the main body 10. Also the end piece 14 may be made of a suitable solid material such that the adding of weight is not required or if required it might be suitably embedded therein.

It is also to be noted that the members 10 and 14 may be suitably connected together, such as by adhesive, and the Weighted member 39 movably mounted in the cavity 29 of the end piece 14 so that the end piece does not separate from the main body 10 as the crack of the bat is produced by the movement of the weighted member 30 within the closed-off cavity 29.

t The outward appearance of the bat may be provided with suitable embellishments and accessories such as the gripping tape or cord 32, so that its outward appearance resembles a conventional bat.

The invention hereinabove described may be varied in 2. A bat for baseball, softball, and the like, comprising a first means forming the general outline of a portion of a bat, said first means having a cavity therein, a rod extending into said cavity, biasing means in said cavity for urging said rod towards one end of said cavity, a second meansiforming the general outline of another portion of said bat, said second means being connected to said rod and having a position abutting said first means, said first and second means being so arranged relative to one another such that during the swing of the bat centrifugal force will cause the second means and said rod to move relative to said first means in opposition to the bias of said biasing means while upon slowing down of the swing,

construction within the scope of the claims, for the par- 7 ticular device select-ed to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invenof the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

'1. A bat for baseball, softball, and the like, compris ing first and second members together forming the general outline of a bat, means for mounting said members to provide relative movement therebetween, biasing means in one of said members operable to urge said members in abutting relationship, said biasing mean-sand said mem- 'bers being so arranged that during the, normal swing of the bat centrifugal force will cause said members to become separated from one another in opposition to the biasing force of said biasing means while upon slowing down of such swing, the biasing means will return the members to said abutting position such that as the two members contact one another a sharp and sudden sound -is produced simulating the crack of a bat.

the biasing means will return the second means and rod to said abutting position such that the two means contact one another to produce a sharp and sudden sound simulating the crack of a bat.

3. Abat for baseball, softball, and the like, comprising a first-member forming a general outline of a portion of a bat, said first member having a cavity therein, a rod extending into said cavity, guide means secured to said first member and slidably supporting said rod in said cavity, biasing means in said cavity for urging said rod towards one end of said cavity, a second member forming the general outline of another portion of a bat, said second member-having a cavity therein, a weighted object secured to said second member Within the last said cavity, said weighted object being connected to said rod and having a position abutting said guide means, said second member being so arranged relative to said first member such that during the swing of the bat, centrifugal force will cause the second member and the weighted object secured thereto to move relative to said first member and the guide means secured thereto in opposition to the bias of said biasing means, while upon slowing down of the swing the biasing means will return the first and second members to place said guide means and weighted object in said abutting position thereby producing a sharp and sudden sound simulating the crack of a hat.

4. A bat for baseball, softball, and the like, comprising first means forming the general outline of a bat, said first means comprising a pair of members, one of which has a cavity therein, and second means within said first means operable to utilize centrifugal force caused by the swingiof said bat and to utilize a bias force opposing said centrifugal force for causing a sharp and sudden sound as the swing of the bat is slowed down, said sharp and sudden sound simulating the crack of a bat, said second means comprising a spring in said cavity operable to bias said members in abutting relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 250,507 Driscol Dec. 6, 1881 2,203,893 Chapman June 11, 1940 2,772,887 Blake Dec. 4, 1956 

4. A BAT FOR BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING FIRST MEANS FORMING THE GENERAL OUTLINE OF A BAT, SAID FIRST MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF MEMBERS, ONE OF WHICH HAS A CAVITY THEREIN, AND SECOND MEANS WITHIN SAID FIRST MEANS OPERABLE TO UTILIZE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE CAUSED BY THE SWING OF SAID BAT AND TO UTILIZE A BIAS FORCE OPPOSING SAID CENTRIFUGAL FORCE FOR CAUSING A SHARP AND SUDDEN SOUND AS THE SWING OF THE BAT IS SLOWED DOWN, SAID SHARP AND SUDDEN SOUND SIMULATING THE CRACK OF A BAT, SAID SECOND MEANS COMPRISING A SPRING IN SAID CAVITY OPERABLE TO BIAS SAID MEMBERS IN ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP. 